Imaginal Disk

Fuck. Yes. This is the album that got me into Magdalena Bay. I was so sad I couldn't attend their concert in 2024 since I was busy but I saw them a few months ago in Barcelona where they played this album from start to finish. It was so fucking good live. I've already listened to this album like 10 times in full in the last month so having an excuse to listen to it yet again is welcome. Their first album is also good. They just have dialed into that ultra catchy synth-pop sound perfectly and each song is just so good. I don't know of any other bands in the indie-sphere who have this sound but god I want more of it. Now, do I think it's a little early to add this album in? Yes. I think it is, but I do believe it will stand the test of time be one of the best albums of the 2020s. This is just an absolute banger of an album and I'm glad others will discover Magdalena Bay. They are blowing up in a good way. My personal rating: 5/5 My rating relative to the list: 5/5 Should this have been included on the original list? Strong yes.

Aw fuck this lived up to the hype it's getting. Each song here seems to unfold like a blooming flower as it progresses. It's like every 30 seconds I see a new petal peeking out. Seriously, the combination of production and arrangement here is INSANE. And it's BOPPIN and JIVIN and makes me wanna get up and dance. But also cry a little bit? I can't stop listening to this record, it has been on constant rotation since it came out for me. I feel like I need a fog machine and deep blue stage lights to listen to this record properly.

Saw these guys live two days ago and am still riding that high as I write this review. Music as a whole (and the indie sphere especially) has been lacking in good, solid dance music for years, so to have a complex, layered LP full of tracks that still make you want to shake your ass is a triumph. There's so much work that's been put into stacking the synths, piano, and killer (non-synth) bass lines into towering compositions that feel full of life, but without overwhelming the production or listener and still managing to feel slick as hell. While it's easy to overlook on more electronic tracks, the musicianship of this duo is pretty insane – the keyboard runs aren't easy by any means, and their show was the first time I've seen a keytar used (and to great effect) in the 200+ concerts I've had the chance to see. Yet, almost in spite of the compositional work they've invested, Magdalena manage to make each one of these tracks infectiously catchy and simple to dance along to. It shows clear focus and intent that such well-written songs can be enjoyed either at the club or listening intently at home. I challenge anyone to find a catchier, sexier track than 'Image,' a song that pulses with desire and feels like a revelation in an indie sphere that's tended towards brooding, singer-songwriter focused work over the past few years. While this LP is a more recent release, I think the dust has settled just enough aside its notable artistic caliber to mark this as a potential top 100 album of the decade when Stereogum writes their huge review article 5 years from now. Just great music at the end of the day and a solid addition to the list!

A dream pop style electronic album. Some tracks are interesting, but after a few the soft baby faced style of singing starts to annoy me. It could have been good if it just wasn't as boring as it is.

Essential

Rating: 10/10

I accidentally had this set on repeat album and so I listened to it about 1.5 times which means 1) I couldn’t really tell the tracks apart and 2) That’s okay because I didn’t mind listening to it

Very ethereal, and pretty interesting. I liked the epic swells and the vocal style.

Thank god, I was starting to feel like a pretentious dickhead with the way I haven't enjoyed a single modern pop album on here so far. This is actually really fun and fresh! Reminds me a bit of Cibo Matto. Cool production as well. It's pretty maximalist, but not to the point where I start feeling like I'm listening to a guy putting every possible FL Studio preset on all the instruments, like so many modern pop albums tend to sound like. "Death & Romance" is so good. Very new album, but I think it has staying power. Already being in the Top 100 on RYM is crazy work, even if I think having it as the top synthpop album of all time is silly as hell (it should obviously be "Violator", let's be real).

To me this is the type of indie electronic pop that Lorde wishes she could make. This album was actually pretty cool and had that feeling you were listening to something unique. The productions was solid and paired well with the soft spacey vocals of the singer. Really a pretty decent pop album. 6.2/10

Loved the dreamy synth pop melodies of these ladies!

Really enjoyed this

One of the best from last year

I found this to be a pretty congenial listen but felt like the group still needs some development. This particular vocal affect, with its sort of little-girl diva thing wears thin, and the music could use some more analog structure to broaden the tone. But I liked it, and found it promising. I'll likely seek out more.

My prediction is this will be artsy but amateur. Genre... I'm gonna say indie? Ok got both predictions. Not unpleasant, but almost an hour was a stretch. The chick's voice was nice. 3/5.

I wasn't expecting to like this just based on the description, but it was really good.

Seriously? Album from last year with an intense cult following from the internet music nerd crowd. I heard this last year, and it's cool. Cool album. Need to hear before I die? Sorry, but no. It's lightly funky pop music. Its contribution to the tapestry of the history music isn't very noteworthy. Think rock thrown into a lake: ripples for a moment, then nothing. Give me boulders falling from the mountain, new sandbars or shorelines. Those things do still happen, even in 2024. Something like JPEGMAFIA's I Lay Down My Life for You, or even Yeat's 2093, those are albums that gave me something I'd never heard before. Can't say the same for this. Again, cool album, I'd rate it a 3.5 or so, so this may seem an unnecessary rant. But I wish we'd all aim a little higher.

Yes a great modern pop album, room for this one on the list.

Synth-pop, dance-pop, electronic rock. Tostón. Un 2.

Boring weird pop

This must be the most recent album on the list. Is this really the best addition from the last couple of years?